


Captives

by Ethereal_Wishes



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Rumbelle Secret Santa, Rumbelle Secret Santa 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 09:34:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13074099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethereal_Wishes/pseuds/Ethereal_Wishes
Summary: His father bartered him away to the Dark One when he was just a lad.  Now, Rumplestiltskin spends his days alone, locked away in a tower in the demon's castle.  He never expected his life to change until the Dark One brings a new prisoner to the tower - a princess most beautiful and kind.  The pair become fast friends, as they try to conjure up a plan to escape the demon's clutches.Prompt: horns, maze, leap, spell and neighborRSS for Berniceambler





	Captives

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BerniceAmbler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BerniceAmbler/gifts).



Captives

A/AN: This RSS was written for Berniceambler. Her prompt was horns, maze, leap, spell and neighbor.

 

Once Upon a Time.... There was a boy who lived alone in a tower. The tower was always locked, and no one ever came to visit him. Why would they? He was a prisoner after all – a prisoner to the most nefarious beast in the land: the Dark One. He hadn't always been a prisoner, but his father had made a deal with the Dark One for a magic bean, and his price had been the man's son. The boy understood why his father had abandoned him. His skin was a sickly golden grayish hue, and he had sharp talons, and a pair of jagged horns growing out of his head. His appearance was utterly wretched, and his affliction had been because his father had tried to cheat an enchantress at a game of cards. She'd shown him retribution by turning his only son into a hideous beast. 

The boy kept himself busy by spinning; he was good at it, and the Dark One had grown weary of his crying, so he'd given him a spinning wheel to pass the time. He spun tirelessly, making rich colored fabrics which would have been coveted by the wealthiest of kings. However, he was still lonely. There was a solitary window within the tower, which he spent many hours gazing through. Everything remained the same for him, but one day everything changed. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, for keeping track of the days had become futile. 

He'd been spinning at the wheel when he heard the Dark One thundering up the stairs. He halted the wheel, opting to hide in a corner, terrified of facing the demon's wrath. The door burst open, but the Dark One wasn't alone. He had a young girl with him, appearing utterly petrified, adorned in layers of golden fabric. 

“You shall stay in here, Princess, as my prisoner, until I can think of a better use for you.” The creature hissed, tossing the girl onto the floor, before slamming the door behind him. The Princess raged, beating her fists against the door and weeping bitterly, but the Dark One didn't return.

He remained hidden within the shadows, unwilling to disturb her. Startling her with his hideous appearance would only cause her to become more anxious. She eventually cried herself to sleep, so he crept towards her, draping a woolen blanket over her and propping her head up with a pillow. She was utterly breathtaking – the most gorgeous angel he'd ever beheld. Chestnut hair splayed over her shoulders, and he willed himself not to touch it, convincing himself it would wilt like a flower if he did.

The Princess slept soundly through the night, and he watched over her like a loyal guard dog. She awoke the next morning, noticing the blanket and pillow. She knew the Dark One wouldn't have graciously gifted her with such comforts. She rose to her feet, scanning the room for any sign of a visitor. Within a darkened corner, she saw someone stir. 

“Please, come into the light, so I may look upon your face,” she requested. 

He sank further into the shadows. “That wouldn't be wise, Milady, my grotesque appearance would frighten you,” he warned.

“Please, I beg of you; I feel so alone locked in this room. If I'm to be the Dark One's prisoner the rest of my existence, can't I at least know you?” she petitioned.

“I'll grant your request, Milady, but you shall regret it,” he inhaled sharply, walking slowly into the light.

The Princess gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth in consternation, as she backed herself against the door. “You're! You're! You're just like him!” she stammered. “Are you his offspring? Has he locked me in here with you, so you might devour me!?” 

He held his hands up in response. “I warned you of my hideousness, Princess, and no, I'm not going to devour you, nor am I his son. I'm the Dark One's prisoner, too.”

“But why?” she queried uncertainly. 

“Because my father made a deal with him many years ago, and I was his price. I've been cursed since my birth, it's why I look inhuman,” he explained, his hands growing fidgety as he worried with the hem of his tunic. 

“I'm sorry, truly. Please forgive me for my outburst. I shouldn't have reacted so uncouthly. My name is Belle French, former Princess of Avonlea,” she introduced herself with a formal curtsey. 

“I'm Rumpelstiltskin; I'm afraid I have no colorful titles to accompany my moniker. I was merely a pauper before I was brought here,” he remarked demurely, averting his gaze sheepishly. 

She sauntered towards him, closing the distance between them. She stood a few feet in front of him, a small smile tugging at her rose lips. “Well, as a Princess, I could gift you with a title.”

He gazed up at her curiously. “What sort of title?”

“Sir Rumpelstiltskin of the Dark Castle.” She smiled cheekily, causing butterflies to swarm in his abdomen. 

“Dark Castle?” He wrinkled his nose curiously. 

“Yes, it's what I've dubbed this place; its quite dank and dreary if you ask me,” she supplied, gesticulating her hand fluidly towards the ceiling.

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged. “I suppose, though it seems a little brighter already.”

A rosy blush discolored her cheeks from his statement. “So, how old are you, if you don't mind me asking?” she quizzed. 

“Fourteen, and yourself?” he inquired.

“Thirteen; I was celebrating my coming of age ball when the Dark One burst through the palace gates, demanding my father make good on his debt. I had no idea I was to be his price, nor did my father by his reaction. I'm still not sure why he wants me here,” she explained, fear flashing within her azure depths. 

Rumpelstiltskin felt a wave of possession overwhelm him at her words. “I don't know, but I'll do whatever it takes to protect you,” he swore, dismounting onto one knee. He gently grasped her hand, bringing it to his lips; he dropped a kiss to the underside of her wrist, releasing her hand. “You have my word,” he vowed, rising to his feet.

“Thank you, Rumpelstiltskin,” she replied gratefully. 

The days bled into weeks, and the weeks into months, and the Dark One still hadn't revealed his reason for bringing Belle to the castle. She and Rumpelstiltskin fell into comfortable companionship. He taught her how to spin, and she taught him how to read. The castle was enchanted and provided them with whatever they needed: from food to clothing, to books and wool for spinning. However, it never granted them a way out. He could almost live the rest of his days in that insufferable place, if Belle remained by his side.

Winter mercilessly swept through the realm, and the tower room became dreadfully cold. Rumpelstiltskin encouraged Belle to wear the wool stockings and dresses he'd made for her. There was no bed in the room, but they had managed to coerce the castle into providing them with two straw pallets, they laid side by side in front of the roaring hearth.

Firelight danced upon her porcelain features, as she laid facing him on her pallet. Her hair was unbound, and her wool blanket was tucked under her chin. “Rumple, I think we should find a way out of this place.”

Her comment startled him. He'd always dreamed of escaping, but it was impossible. The Dark One would hunt them down and skin them both alive if they ever attempted a fool's errand. “Belle, I understand your reasoning, but this castle is full of magical wards. We'd never make it to the front door without being intercepted.” 

“What if we could break through those wards?” she proposed. 

“Belle, no offense, but the Dark One has lived for many centuries, and we're just a couple of kids. We'd never be able to trump him at his own game. You should go to sleep and dispel such foolish tendencies from your mind,” he admonished, turning over on his side. 

He heard her sigh exhaustively. Guilt coursed through him as he heard soft snuffles erupting from her pallet. He didn't want to offer her a sense of false hope. He was merely trying to protect her, and keep her from getting herself killed. He closed his eyes, managing to drift off sometime late during the night. He awoke the following morning to find shafts of sunlight leaking through the window. He stretched and gave out a loud yawn. As he turned over, he noticed Belle's pallet was neatly made. He threw back the covers, rising to his feet. She was already dressed for the day, her rich chestnut hair cascading like a waterfall down her backside. Rumpelstiltskin felt something foreign begin to stir within him he didn't dare analyze. 

She wordlessly poked at her breakfast, keeping her gaze averted as he approached her. He knew she was cross with him, but he wouldn't take back what he'd said. He cared about her too much to allow her to naively march off to her doom.

“Belle, I-”

“No, Rumple, you were right, you and I are going to rot in this damned tower together; we'll never see another living soul, just each other,” she cursed, stabbing her poached egg vehemently.

He was taken aback by her response, until she began to sob uncontrollably. He bent down, crawling towards her. She didn't evade his touch, instead, she allowed him to rock her gently until she had calmed.

Belle didn't mention escaping again after that day. It didn't matter, because a few days later, the Dark One summoned her. It was in the middle of the afternoon when the demon came charging up the stairs, unlocked the tower door, stormed in like a whirlwind and taken her away.

“Rumple!” she cried, reaching for him, kicking and screaming defiantly.

“Keep quiet, wench, or I'll rip out that tongue of yours!” The Dark One threatened, tossing her over his shoulder and whisking her away. 

“Belle!” Rumpelstiltskin bellowed, dashing after her, but it was futile. The Dark One slammed the door, sealing the tower room with magic. He beat his fists against the door until they were throbbing and bloody. He prayed no harm came to Belle. This was all his fault. He'd vowed to protect her, and he'd failed. 

The hours ticked by painfully slow, and Rumpelstiltskin's gut roiled with sickness as he imagined all of the terrible things the Dark One was subjecting her to at that very moment. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the door open later that night. 

Belle sauntered back in, her eyes downcast, as the door slammed shut behind her. He rushed to her side, seizing her wrists gingerly within his talons. “Belle, are you alright? Did he try anything?” he inquired fretfully. 

She shook her head. “No, he summoned me because he needed me to translate an ancient fairy prophecy. My mother taught me how to interpret the tongue of the fae when I was young. He said in the morning I'm to go home. It's the only reason he brought me here in the first place,” she revealed, meeting his gaze. 

Sorrow flashed within her cerulean depths, and he forced himself to smile because it was joyous news to hear she was to be freed from this damnable place. “That's wonderful, Belle! You don't belong here.”

“Neither do you, Rumple. Perhaps I could make a deal with him, coerce him into allowing you to leave with me,” she suggested hopefully. 

Rumpelstiltskin cupped her face gently within his talons. “No, Belle. Don't ruin your only chance of getting out of here. He's never going to let me leave, not now, not ever. Making a deal with him would be unwise. It would cost you more than you'll ever be able to pay,” he returned, kissing her brow affectionately. 

“But, I can't leave without you,” she whimpered, tears gathering around her lashes.

“Belle, I'll never forget the time we've spent here together, nor our friendship. I'll treasure it always,” he reassured her. 

Belle swallowed hard, nodding wordlessly. “I'll never stop fighting for you; I'll find a way to set you free and release you from this prison. I'll do whatever it takes,” she swore, her eyes blazing with determination.

“There's a whole world out there for you, Belle. Go find it; all I want is for you to be happy,” he responded, his heart plummeting in his chest, because within a few hours she would be gone forever, and he would never see her again.

“I will come back for you,” she reassured him, brushing her lips ever so gently against his. The kiss was chaste and clumsy, but it set his soul aflame. As she broke the kiss, he gazed at her, full of wonder. 

“I wanted my first kiss to be with you; I trust you more than anyone, Rumple,” she revealed, blushing prettily. 

“Oh, Belle,” he sighed, “you're going to find someone truly worthy of you one day, someone who will love you unconditionally.” He tenderly caressed her face, and she said nothing, opting to quell her tongue from dispelling her burning confession. She threw her arms around him, and they remained embraced until the Dark One came to fetch her the following morning. She'd gifted him with her golden hair ribbon to remember her by – the exact one she'd been wearing the day she'd arrived at the castle. He'd given her a scarf he'd spun, and just like that, she was gone forever. 

Rumpelstiltskin returned to his life of loneliness, spinning to forget, and immersing himself within unknown realms by reading. Books were a comfort to him, because Belle had fostered a love of reading within his heart. It made him feel close to her, and sometimes he swore he could almost hear her infectious laughter. But he had to face the facts, she was merely a flicker of light amidst his ocean of darkness. He knew he would soon fade from her mind, but she would never fade from his.

The years continued to pass, though Rumpelstiltskin didn't bother counting the days. He was to be stuck in this tower forever, so time mattered little to him. The Dark One never called for him, and he barely registered the change within the castle. He'd fallen asleep one night while spinning, and he'd dreamed of his childhood companion. This time she was older, her curves filled out in all the right places. She was spellbinding, and her sparkling azure irises held years of untold wisdom. She'd stood by the tower window in a sparkling lavender gown. It was larger in his dream. She'd turned towards him, a brilliant smile tugging at her lips. She'd held out her hand, bidding him to come. He'd approached her, his eyes filled with trepidation as she stepped through transparent glass. She'd leaped into a sea of spectrum. He'd grappled for her, but she'd kept falling, until the sea enveloped her. 

He woke up gasping for air. The first light of dawn peeped through his window. He tugged at his unruly locks, attempting to wake himself. He'd then sauntered to the window, gazing out. The mountains and hills appeared the same, so he diverted his gaze, continuing to fill his day with the mundane. 

The next night he had the same dream, and the next night, and many nights afterward. He felt himself succumbing to the madness, wondering what it all meant. One day he couldn't take it anymore, so he'd gone to the door, placing his hand on it. He had to get out of that room, someway, somehow. He was flummoxed when the door opened effortlessly. He swiped at his eyes, wondering if it was truly the madness after all. 

When the image of the open door didn't dissipate, he decided it must be the Dark One taunting him. However, he no longer cared. He was tired of being in that room and if death was his only way out, then he was ready to make that quantum leap into whatever lay on the other side. It had to be better than being someone's prisoner the rest of his days. As he navigated the halls of the castle, he felt like he was wandering through a labyrinth of corridors and staircases. He wasn't sure how long he'd wandered, but he felt himself begin to grow weary. His vision waned as he collapsed in a long stretch of hallway, overtaken by exhaustion. 

Rumpelstiltskin wasn't sure how much time had passed once he'd awoken; he opened his eyes hazily, gazing around an unfamiliar room. He felt cushioned by something downy beneath him. He then realized he was lying on a bed. He sat up, wondering where he was. The walls matched his own back in the tower. He was still in the castle. He felt vulnerable and afraid, wondering if the Dark One would leap out at any moment.

He swallowed hard, moving slowly out of bed. Light shone through a window, much larger than the one in his chambers. He hesitantly proceeded towards it, glancing out at the vast expanse before him. He placed his hand against the pane, dreaming about what it would be like to feel the grass beneath his feet and the wind on his face. 

“Would you like to go outside, Rumpelstiltskin?” A voice echoed behind him – a distant memory from the past. He glanced back, startled when he saw a woman adorned in a lavender gown, the very same woman from his dream. 

“Belle?” he inquired hesitantly, wondering if it was a hallucination or if she was truly here.

“Yes, Rumple, it's me. How many years has it been? Ten? Twenty? I'm afraid I've lost count,” she replied, beaming radiantly at him. 

“What happened to you? You seem different,” he remarked, blinking owlishly.

“I am, you're quite perceptive. I found my way back to you, just like I promised,” she answered, proffering her hand to him, just like in his dream. 

When he wrapped his talon around her supple hand, he felt the Dark One's spell being extinguished. The power radiating from her amplified when she leaned in to kiss him. Brilliant bursts of light surrounded him, tearing away the remaining darkness. After she broke the kiss, he gazed down at his hands, astounded to see human flesh. 

“How did you break my curse!?” he asked in disbelief. 

“When I returned home to Avonlea, I searched for a way to defeat the Dark One, for several years. I traveled down many paths to find the answer I was looking for. The answer laid in a book of prophecy, written in fairy tongue. I was able to interpret it and harness the powers of an ancient being known as the Light One. You have to grant an offering to the gods to receive the power. They accepted my offering, which was my mortality. I'm immortal now, and I have to do the bidding of the gods to keep the power,” she explained, tracing a delicate finger along his jawline. 

“So you'll live forever and never be able to die?” he queried. 

“Yes, but it was worth it to rid the world of the nefarious Dark One and set you free,” she returned, smiling radiantly. 

“Oh, Belle, what a sacrifice you've made for me and the rest of the realm, to watch your loved ones waste away while remaining young, forever without hope of ever meeting them again on the other side,” he whispered sorrowfully. 

“I had to do this, Rumple; I had to save you and everyone else,” she responded, her eyes twinkling with something ancient and mysterious. 

“What now? Where will you go? Where will you dwell?” he implored. 

“I thought I'd settle right here until the gods summon me. Won't you stay with me, Rumple? Keep me company? Forever is awfully a long time to be alone,” she said, melancholy flashing within her cerulean depths. 

“But I'm mortal, Belle, I can't live forever,” he countered. 

“As long as you stay within the confines of the castle, you'll never age. This place now exists outside of the bounds of time since I've made it my dwelling,” she illuminated. 

Rumpelstiltskin nodded amicably. “Then I shall go with you, forever. Outside of these walls, I have no life, and you've been my only friend. There's nowhere I'd rather be than here with you.”

“Forever it is then,” she grinned, kissing him breathlessly – a symbol that their love would outlast the sands of time – a timeless romance which would never die.

 

The End

A/AN: I'd like to make something clear, I never mentioned why the Dark One wanted Rumple. This particular Dark One simply enjoyed causing misery and cared nothing for him. He relished knowing he was suffering. If Belle hadn't freed him, then he would have rot in the tower until he expired.


End file.
